Former lawmaker leaves GOP for Libertarian Party

Georgia's Barr says he's upset over spending and privacy issues

BEN EVANS, Associated Press

Published 6:30 am, Saturday, December 16, 2006

WASHINGTON — A former Georgia congressman who helped spark President Clinton's impeachment has quit the Republican Party to become a Libertarian, saying he is disillusioned with the GOP on issues such as spending and privacy.

Bob Barr, who served eight years as a Republican congressman before losing his seat in 2002, announced Friday that he is now a "proud, card-carrying Libertarian." And he encouraged others to join him.

"It's something that's been bothering me for quite some time, the direction in which the party has been going more and more toward big government and disregard toward privacy and civil liberties," said Barr, 58, a lawyer and consultant in Atlanta. "In terms of where the country needs to be going to get back to our constitutional roots ... I've come to the conclusion that the only way to do that is to work with a party that practices what it preaches, and that is the Libertarian Party."

Barr said he has no plans to run for office. In his new role as the Libertarian Party's regional representative for the South, he will help promote the party's message and recruit candidates.

Barr became a darling of conservatives over his persistent attacks on Clinton in the 1990s. He was among the first to press for impeaching Clinton and helped manage House Republicans' impeachment case in 1999. At the same time, Barr showed an independent streak that at times frustrated Republicans.

He has frequently criticized President Bush over privacy concerns stemming from the Patriot Act and other federal anti-terrorism efforts, joining with groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union to lobby against excessive government intrusions.